cóccix
/ˈkoɡθiɡs/
The English phrase "tailbone" is translated into Spanish as cóccix.
The term refers to the small bone located at the very bottom of the spinal column.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word cóccix is a masculine noun and is preceded by the definite article el.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈkoɡθiɡs/
Did you know?
- The medical term cóccix is a direct loan from Greek, where it means 'cuckoo', because the bone's shape resembles a cuckoo's beak.
- In Spanish, the word rabo is used for 'tail', but using it to refer to a human 'tailbone' without the suffix -dilla can be misinterpreted as a vulgar slang reference to male anatomy.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, the phrase caer de rabadilla is used to describe falling hard on one's backside, regardless of whether the tailbone is actually injured.
Examples in context
- Me caí y me lastimé el cóccix.I fell and hurt my tailbone.
- Tiene dolor en el coxis.He has pain in his tailbone.
- Me duele el cóccix al sentarme.My tailbone hurts when I sit down.
- El médico me revisó el cóccix.The doctor checked my tailbone.
- Se golpeó el cóccix contra el suelo.He hit his tailbone against the floor.
Example conversation
Javier explains his injury to Lucía at home.
- Lucía¿Qué te pasó, Javier?What happened to you, Javier?
- JavierMe caí y me golpeé el cóccix.I fell and hit my tailbone.
- LucíaLo siento mucho, ¿te duele mucho?I am very sorry, does it hurt a lot?
- JavierSí, me cuesta mucho sentarme.Yes, it is very hard for me to sit down.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry cóccix, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
